- BittyTale #4 -

Once they were in the hallway Dream looked up at Fresh 404.  "What was that all about I have never seen you that formal or ask to do something other than editing Cerulean's codes."

"Uncle Dream from your perspective what has happened since we came to this AU?"  Fresh 404 tilt their head watching him.

Dream blinks frowns as he catches the, your perspective part. "We came here and started walking. I was sure we were lost. Then you told me why we are here and that we were looking for a local to guide us.  Then you looked at the codes and we had to run.  Then you almost killed those kids.  Which you are so in trouble for.  Then we rescued a bunch of bitties and got directions here and now we are helping get them settled."

Dusty stands up with his arms crossed on the outside of the pocket listening to Dream.  "Kid are you sure he is the adult here?"

"Yes Dusty but the binding from his AU only broke recently he is still learning.  Uncle Dream we need to think about how Moonlight sees things what his day was like.  This morning he was a leader making plans and deciding how to help his people. Perhaps stressed and worried because one of his partners is very sick, and all of his people have magic depletion.  This afternoon he was a warrior fighting to protect his people, watching some of them die fighting to save their loved ones.  Then he lost consciousness only to fully wake up trapped in a basket with all his people packed in without wiggle room.  Faced with all the worries Dusty told us about on the way here.  Now he gets to see his people taken care of through no agency of his own.  All he can do is wait and watch.  To a leader it is almost a perfect formula for feeling helpless and useless."  They glance down meeting Dream's eyelights.

"I.. Fox I didn't even think about how all of that would affect any of them just that they would get the help they needed and it would all get better." Dream looks at the ground ashamed that he had failed to see what was happening.

"That is true in the long run but we need to think about how those around us feel and why.  He is a good leader from what we can tell he and his partners have kept a very large group alive and healthy for years only recently having a string of very bad luck.  It does us no harm to acknowledge that and treat him like the smart, strong, resourceful, leader he is.  Especially when we plan to adopt his family group and a few others.  They will need his leadership when we have to leave for work."  They smile gently at Dream as they walk into a dining area set up for bitties.

Dream watches with wide sockets as Fresh 404 gently set the bitties down and moved to Mama Cry being so gentle with everyone, hardly able to believe this was the broken child his brother had hidden away all those years ago, or the same kid who nearly killed without a sign of remorse earlier.  Yes he had known about 404 not the details only that Inky had whined about a special type of Sans that he was working on and how Error and Nightmare made it disappear.  He had thought it odd that Inky whined about the Sans and not the AU.  But he had assumed they had destroyed an AU.  Not literally whisked an out code out of sight and into hiding.  He had forgotten about it until Cobalt told the council about 404 because Inky never brought it up again.

Fresh 404 gently lifted Dusty from their pocket in a cupped hand holding him and Larkspur at chest level.  "Mama Cry please meet Dusty and his partner Larkspur.  You requested help making arrangements for family groups?"

"Yes thank you usually when we get in a lot of bitties like this we arrange accommodations in a hurry and they sort out who they prefer the company of over the next few days.  But Dream mentioned they were worried about being separated from their established groups.  So I thought maybe one of them could tell us what the groups are so we don't stress anyone." Mama Cry explains why casting worried glances at Larkspur still tucked in the glowing blanket.

Dusty tucks the blanket more securely around Larkspur.  "Good.  I will ride on your shoulder and tell you what is needed.  Larkspur will stay with the kid."

"Are you sure you want him to stay with us Dusty? We have to go back to the treatment room." Fresh 404 look down at him making sure.

"I am sure you have a strong magic aura. He will recover faster if he stays with you.  My job as sub leader is to take care of our people when Moonlight, Glitch, and Starlight are busy or unavailable."  Dusty nods up at them.

"Then we will keep him close for you."  They gently hold their hand out so that Dusty can climb onto Mama Cry's shoulder. "It goes without saying that you will not let anything happen to Dusty of course."

Mama Cry smiles watching a cocoon of glowing rainbow strings form around Larkspur before Fresh 404 secures it safely inside the collar of his coat.  "I don't think I have been so delicately threatened since your dad stopped by the first time to make sure I wouldn't tell Inky about Error liking bitties."

Dream looked on in shock as a delicate rainbow flush formed on Fresh 404's cheekbones.

"Thank you, I can only take that as a complement.  Dad was a master at intimidation without actually having to threaten anyone!"  Fresh 404 grin and patted Dream on the shoulder before heading back to the treatment room.

After watching them go Dream looks at Mama Cry.  "I don't believe we told you who his parents were."

Mama Cry chuckles leading the way to the recovery room.  One wall was covered with cubbies with the fronts closed with curtains.  Little walkways were attached with stairways between levels.  "Dream I know who you are and you introduced him as your nephew.  Now Dusty this room is set up rather like a hotel. The recovery room is temporary housing for those who are ill, injured, or only with us in the short term.  We have other rooms with bitty apartments for long term residence.  For now I just need to know how many beds per room, what type and how big."

"Okay well first Moonlight, Starlight, and Glitch, are a bonded partnership so they will only need one bed but it needs to be big enough for all of them.  Moonlight will want a room up high enough he can look you in the eyes without having to get a crick in his neck."  Dusty watches Dream look rather lost while Mama Cry opens a cabinet full of bitty beds of different sizes.

"But how do you know who I am or who my brother was?" Dream fidgets clearly, having no idea what he should be doing.

"Look Dream most of the Mama's and Daddy's that run the Bitty Centers and Sanctuaries know about the multiverse we have to in case someone from one of the AU wants to adopt a bitty.  We have to know what kind of AU they are from if the bitty will be safe, and that their bitty will be able to take shelter with us during genocide runs and resets.  I also knew your brother.  Add that Dream and Nightmare bitties are counterparts.  It would be hard not to know you Dream, from DreamTale, guardian of positivity, beloved estranged twin brother of Nightmare, guardian of negativity.  Now if we are done with silly questions there is a closet two doors down the hall.  Will you please go and get the stepladder for me." She pulls out a box of little pillows out as well as a box of blankets.

Dusty watches Dream leave.  "Don't do that again the kid wouldn't like it.  And the kid is ours now."

"So that is the way of it hmm well none of you can go home with him until you have healed and recovered your magic but we can certainly do the adoption process before that." She holds up a bed. "Would this be the right size for Moonlight's group?"

"Starlight can't make his wings insubstantial any more. So it needs to be a bit bigger.  That one would work for the fell brothers. They have been sleeping together since Cherry got sick, and Edgy broke his arm, Boss has been clingy in a cranky overprotective way. I think he is afraid of losing them."  Dusty watches as she picks it up.

"What level would they like?"  She grabs some pillows in her other hand. "What type is bitty is Starlight I didn't see a winged one before Sans kicked me out  in his way."

"Starlight is a Paladin he survived when the Dream bitties all fell down late last winter.  The kid said he thinks it is because Paladin bitties are based on one of the blocked DreamTale paths and stronger than Dream bitties." He points to a cubby on the bottom row away from the stairs.  "Boss will want that one so that Cherry can't fall on the steps once he starts to recover."

Dream gasps softly from where he stands in the doorway with the stepladder.  "What do you mean the Dream bitties all fell down?"

Mama Cry gave him a worried look. "Come set down dear and I will tell you about what happened while I take care of this."

"Dream are you okay your eyelights have pinned.  Do I need to get Fresh 404 for you?"  Dusty frowns watching Dream.

Dream carries the stepladder over to Mama Cry then sets down.  "Don't get him, he is getting too protective. I am tougher than I look."

"It is not about, toughness Dream." Cry puts the bed and pillows in the indicated cubby and adds blankets leaving the current open to show it is available.

"Look even the least social, most paranoid, suspicious, volatile skeletons need someone.  Skeleton monsters whether they are bitties or full sized like you never remain healthy alone, not mentally, not emotionally, not physically.  So do you need the member of your family who is down the hall?"  Dusty leans towards Dream gripping a fist full of Mama Cry's shirt so he doesn't fall.

"I... you are right Dusty but I am okay for now.  I will spend some time with him later.  I don't want to go running to him every time I hear something upsetting he already has the weight of the multiverse on his shoulders without that."  Dream looks down at his hands.

Mama Cry gently plucks Dusty off her shoulder and deposits him on Dream's shoulder.  "Almost eight months ago every known Dream bitty and the Paladin bitties which are a subtype of Dream bitty all just fell over all knocked out at the same time.  The ones that were not in good conditions never woke up and dusted a few days later.  The Paladin bitties all woke up.  Dream or Paladin their health hasn't been the same since.  The only thing we have found that helps at all is keeping them with Nightmare bitties."

Dusty stands and pats Dream on the cheek.  "Come on Dream breath you can do it."

Dream dropped his head into his hands taking a sharp breath then another one and another.  "I am so fricking stupid I didn't even think to check if the bitty versions of us were okay after Nightmare jumped."

"And how were you to have done that when you were either pasted out, puking, having small seizures, or clinging to consciousness dealing with the fallout of two balances breaking and the passed coming home to roost for the whole council?"  Fresh 404 strides into the room and knees gathering Dream in a tight hug careful of Dusty.

Mama Cry watches for a minute then sets up the stepladder and pulls out a bigger bed holding it up for Dusty to see.

Dusty nods pats Dream some more doing his best to help calm him down.  "They are right you couldn't have done anything about it anyway.  It does more good for you to look out for the kid."

Dream sniffles and hugs Fresh 404 tightly.  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should have protected him."

Fresh 404 scooped Dream into their arms setting down with Dream in his lap and rocking him humming the lullaby Nightmare always used softly.  "Let it out, we've got you."  They hum softly letting Dream cry himself out.

Mama Cry leaves them to comfort Dream and gets a cubby ready for Moonlight and his parents including extra blankets and pillows to help with Starlight's wings.

Dream quickly cries himself to sleep, clinging to Fresh 404 like even in his sleep he is afraid of losing him.

"Mama Cry we are going to take Dream home to rest.  We will return shortly. BlueBell should be able to help you with this."  Fresh 404 stood holding Dream close.  "Do you have a problem with fell monsters?"

"Don't worry about that dear I deal with fell type bitties all the time."  Mama Cry waves of their concern.

They nod and open a rainbow portal stepping through and closing it behind them.

Dusty looks up, and up, and up some more.  "Wow, that ceiling is high.  Where are we anyway?"

"Our dad's castle... well technically ours now.  We haven't really settled in yet. It is too empty, but we have to, now that we are starting our team."  Fresh 404 walked down the hall humming softly.  "We also only know where the library, one of the living rooms, and main kitchen are.  Lucky the kitchen is the place to find someone who knows where everything is."  Between one step and the next they shortcut to a massive kitchen.

An older bunny monster looks up from fixing tea and sandwiches for the staff and smiles at them.  "We weren't expecting you home so early lad.  Need a guide again?"

"I am afraid so.  Uncle Dream had a breakdown.  Not really surprising given the situation.  We need to put him to bed, pick up a council member and get back to work.  Can you have someone check on him from time to time while I am away, Agnis?  Oh and has Lady Life settled in?"  Fresh 404 shuffle their feet, clearly uncomfortable asking for help.

"Of course we will look after him for you lad.  Your dad would have loved that Dream is finally coming home.  Lady Life is in and out doing a bit of nesting.  Will you be home for dinner?" She takes out a phone and sends a text.

"We will try but we may be late due to time differences.  If we are not back by seven in the evening, put a sandwich in the fridge for us. We know how to get here.  Also we need to talk to the head carpenter tomorrow before we go to work.  We are going to be adding bitties to the household and we need to add a few accommodations."  Fresh 404 lifts Dream a little high as a younger bunny monster jogs into the kitchen.

"Patrick the lad needs to put lord Dream to bed seems the poor thing had a breakdown.  You work in that part of the castle, can you check in on him later?"  Agnis walks over and puts a pack of vegetables sticks in Fresh 404's pocket.

"Of course I will come on lord Fresh 404 let's get him settled in.  Who is your new friend there?"  Patrick grins as he leads them out of the kitchen.

"Oh forgive us we forgot to introduce him. Patrick this is Dusty, he and several others will be joining the household once they have recovered enough." Fresh 404 blushes rainbow at having forgotten introductions.

Dusty waves.  "Kid you are going to have to settle in before Moonlight gets here or you are going to get a lecture about responsibility and making your people feel secure by taking a firm hold of your position as leader."

Patrick chuckles, "I can tell this is going to be fun. The place will be lively again soon."

Sighing Fresh 404 nods. "I guess Milly can assign us a room but not dads as we will be decorating to our tastes.  Also we will be picking up our first team member in a week. He is a swap Papyrus."

Nodding Patrick opens a door to a cheerful room with high ceilings, done in creams, and sunny yellows.  The furniture was all of pale blond wood with cuisines and curtains of dawn pink, the canopy of the large bed was sunset pink, and the duvet was the colors of the night sky as were the pillow shams.  "Lord Nightmare had just finished updating in here the month before..." Patrick swallows hard and looks away, his cheerful expression falling,  he hurried forward to turn back the covers revealing deep blue silk sheets.

Fresh 404 lays Dream down taking off his boots and setting them by the bed, before stippling off Dream's circlet and placing it on the bedside table.  They study him for a moment then eases off his gauntlets and arm warmers setting them aside.  "That should do.  Let him rest as long as he can.  If he wakes before I get home let him know that he is invited to explore except the private rooms of the current residence."

Patrick holds the door for them as they leave Dream's suite of rooms. "Rather than be assigned a room might I suggest one of the courtyard apartments. They are down this corridor and around the corner they all have access to the inner courtyard, an office, bedroom or two the same size as Dream's, walk-in closet, good sized bathroom two if there is more than one bedroom,  and kitchenette for snacks.  While you can reach the older parts of the castle through the corridors, we are in the original keep now for example.  The main doors to it open onto the courtyard."

"That actually sounds perfect thank you Patrick.  Can you arrange it? We need to get going. We still have a lot of work today."  Fresh 404 sigh, stretching then checks on Dusty finding him still perched on their shoulder by some unknown magic even with all the lifting bending and twisting.  A small miracle but one they were grateful for nonetheless.

"Of course I will also get you a map of the castle and mark the way from the main kitchen so you can find it if you are late getting home."  Patrick took out his phone and started texting.

Fresh 404 open a portal to UnderFell #0 and step through leaving Patrick behind.  "Dusty you may want to slip into my coat collar with Larkspur while in this AU.  They tend to regard anyone weak around here as free exp.  You are not weak but your magic is depleted."  Fresh 404 looks around while Dusty tucks himself in next to Larkspur only to be drawn into his warm safe cocoon.

Dusty grumbled a little at it but seemed content to snuggle close to his partner.  "You are as protective as Moonlight."

"Thank you." Fresh 404 strolled into Snowdin easily tossing more aggressive monsters out of their way with their strings.  It didn't take Edge long to show up to find out what was going on.

"What the heck kid what are you doing here and where is Stretch."  Edge glares at a bear monster and he turns and walks the other way.

"Stretch needs to stay in his AU for the next couple of runs.  We had uncle Dream with us until he had an emotional breakdown and passed out.  So we dropped him off at home and came to pick up you or Fell." Fresh 404 shrugged, "can we hurry we still need to destroy that AU in the buffer zone, take care of some business in BittyTale #4, and repair HorrorTale #0, and DustTale #0, before dinner, and paperwork for today."

Edge facepalms "why me? Out of all the council why today?" Edge folds his arms and grumbles.

"We can't take Reaper to BittyTale. Geno is tomorrow, and I don't know what other council members can handle HorrorTale, DustTale, and distraction."  They glance behind Edge as Fell stomps up to them.

"Sans! Why are you goofing off instead of at your post!"  Fell storms upto them before seeing Fresh 404.

"Fell, do you need glasses?"  Fresh 404 smiled slightly, the cold look in their eyelight daring him to give them an excuse to do something.

"Kids here to pick us up because Dream collapsed again." Edge was quick to speak before Fell could say anything.

"Tie your shoes Sans we have work to do." Fell glares at Edge avoiding the whole issue of glasses.

Fresh 404 looks Edge over taking in the new cracks in his bones.  "We don't think so, Fell we need a skeleton with standards today."

Edge actually flinches and starts to edge between them clearly wanting to stop a fight even if it meant making himself a target.  "Heh tibia-honest ya got the wrong skeleton if you mean me I ain't got a skele-ton of standards."

Surprisingly Fell just grabs Edge by the back of his coat.  "Ya ya you hate me I am a backstabbing asshole.  Let's get this over with."

"You kept your temper under control... Good keep it that way."  Fresh 404 flashed a cold blue smile and opened a rainbow portal.

Edge watches Fresh 404 wide socketed as Fell drags him through the portal.